Chapter 75
Chapter 75
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 22: Entering Silver Hall (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the tumultuous vacation came to an end.
Ahead of the new semester's start, Hall Master Chung-hyun gathered all the instructors.
Still unable to shake off the lingering calm, Chung-hyun dropped a bombshell.
"Some of you may have already heard the rumors, but for those who haven't, I'll let you know. We've decided to dispatch temporary instructors from our Bronze Hall to Silver Hall."
Woo-hoo!
A cheer erupted among the Bronze Hall instructors.
"So the rumors were true?"
"I don't know the details, but if it's about reinforcements, then yeah."
Another instructor raised his hand.
"Hall Master, I heard the Silver Hall instructors are putting up major resistance. How did this...?"
"Ahem!"
Chung-hyun, hands clasped behind his back, twisted his rat-tail mustache and spoke.
"Due to some recent unfortunate incident, Silver Hall is in dire straits. As fellow Divine Martial Academy colleagues, how could we stand by and watch?"
It was a fair point.
No matter how much they were called the Shit Hall, they were still part of the same Divine Martial Academy.
Providing support in a crisis was no issue at all.
The problem was that this was the first time something like this had happened.
"Silver Hall requesting temporary instructors from us? Never thought I'd see the day."
"Those guys who always looked down on us for lacking ability—what's gotten into them?"
"Couldn't have imagined this."
It wasn't just Silver Hall students who treated Bronze Hall folks with contempt for being from the Shit Hall.
The Silver Hall instructors did the same, seeing Bronze Hall graduates as a step below and subtly ignoring them whenever they crossed paths.
"Any volunteers?"
Was that why?
Chung-hyun looked around at the instructors, but no one stepped forward.
No one wanted to volunteer just to be looked down on by Silver Hall.
As if he'd expected as much, Chung-hyun unfurled a prepared scroll.
"Ahem. Knowing this would happen, I prepared a list of recommended candidates."
Aaah.
Groans rose from the instructors, and Hall Master Chung-hyun glared at them.
"Squad Leader Duggo personally selected them, so if you have complaints, go complain to him."
"......"
Everyone fell silent.
Only then did Chung-hyun comfortably begin calling out names one by one.
"...Instructor Sa-seom, Instructor Jo-hyun, Instructor Yeo Mae-hong, Instructor Chu Un-hwi. Those named are hereby appointed as temporary instructors for Silver Hall. Follow Squad Leader Yang Dae-cheol's orders without fail and carry out your duties impeccably."
The leader was the most senior and well-regarded Old Iron Fist Yang Dae-cheol.
It was a decent choice.
Old Iron Fist Yang Dae-cheol was a fairly renowned expert in the martial world, with a solid character that drew many followers.
Listening in, Instructor Jo-hyun timidly raised his palm.
"Hall Master. If we go as temporary instructors, what about our assigned students?"
"Since you're temporary, you'll assist with Silver Hall duties while still looking after your students."
"All of our assigned students?"
"You think getting paid is easy work?"
Chung-hyun spoke in a tone as if he were paying out of his own pocket, though he wasn't.
"Ugh. Ah. Ah."
"Save us."
"We're dead this semester."
Seeing the overworked instructors' pinched expressions, he quietly added,
"Just bear with it for a while. We'll reduce the workload once reinforcements arrive."
"When will the reinforcements come?"
At a young instructor's question, Chung-hyun turned his head away.
"Ah... Ah... My throat's a bit sore."
It was blatant evasion.
Chung-hyun quickly spotted new prey to change the subject.
"By the way, why are you here?"
"What do you mean?"
"Bronze Hall's slacker as a Silver Hall temporary instructor? Must be some mistake."
"Isn't it just those capable folks recognizing my immense talent?"
Hall Master Chung-hyun snorted at Chu Un-hwi's reply.
"Sure it is."
Old Iron Fist Yang Dae-cheol, who had newly taken over the squad leader position from Yeom Gwang.
Promotion to squad leader was good, but he seemed burdened.
"Squad leader starting from the new semester..."
And it wasn't just any squad leader role. He was leading the temporary instructors dispatched to Silver Hall.
"My stomach's churning from the pressure. Anyway, let's do our best for a while. Think of it as service to the Divine Martial Academy. Any questions about Silver Hall?"
The selected temporary instructors were all those who had achieved solid results through hot passion and effort.
As Yang Dae-cheol made eye contact with each one, he spotted a small head bobbing casually to the side and made an oh no face.
"Some might not know. Let me explain."
"...Why are you looking at me?"
"Don't take it lightly—engrave this in your head."
"Ah. Why. Me only?"
Ignoring the objection, Squad Leader Yang opened his mouth.
"Silver Hall is different from Bronze Hall in many ways. Instructors are strict, students are picky. The other Divine Martial Academy instructors know well?"
Instructor Jo-hyun nodded beside him.
"Unlike Bronze Hall, the kids' playground and cradle, Silver Hall teaches real 'combat' and '实战'."
Yeo Mae-hong chimed in.
"That's why the instructors there, unlike ours in Bronze Hall, have tougher personalities."
Other young instructors added one by one.
"Many were active in the martial world until recently."
"Especially those from prestigious sects—they have strong pride."
"They look down on anyone without a solid background as a matter of course."
"But we have to endure it."
So that's how it was.
Why was everyone picking on just me, then?
"Alright, alright."
Squad Leader Yang clapped lightly and continued.
"There might be power struggles among instructors, but the key is the students. They're disciples from famous sects, so their skills are top-notch. Their pride matches their skill—exceptionally high."
"Feels like both instructors and students are all a bit messed up, doesn't it?"
Zzt.
All eyes turned to him.
Amid it, a warm hand landed on his shoulder.
Turning, he saw Yeo Mae-hong smiling benevolently.
"Endure it. Well. And overcome it. Okay?"
From the other side, Jo-hyun patted his shoulder.
"It'll be tough. But. You must."
"Yeah. Don't charge in thoughtlessly and get beaten like dogs."
"Silver Hall guys are arrogant and grating, but their skills are the real deal."
"Right. Right. Totally different from Bronze Hall."
"No need to go to instructors—even students might come at you directly in the worst case."
A premonition that the road ahead wouldn't be smooth crept in.
Rumble—.
The massive iron gates on both sides began to slide open.
The slowly moving castle gate gleamed silver, clearly a precious artifact crafted with artisans' utmost care.
"Step back. We're lowering the drawbridge soon."
Clatter.
They turned the winch wrapped in iron chains, and the tower-like bridge standing toward the sky began to descend.
The drawbridge, said to be built only at key fortresses due to its expense, was blocking just between academy halls.
What a waste of money.
While paying peanuts for salaries, no less.
Groooan.
Anyway, watching the drawbridge descend with a roar brought fresh emotions.
Now we're really entering Silver Hall.
How much effort had he put in to pass through this gate until now?
Especially Chu Un-hwi, who had hidden and observed for quite a while seeking weaknesses, knew well.
How sturdy that gate was, how many traps and mechanisms lurked around the drawbridge.
And how many terrifying poisons dwelled in that beautiful river flowing beneath the drawbridge.
Quite a tricky obstacle.
He could breach most traps or mechanisms, but slipping through such a large-scale device without a trace was extremely difficult.
Even breaching it was a problem.
The strange spatial distortion felt beyond the wall was proof of a deadly formation array in place nine times out of ten.
The massive artificial wall, refined and reinforced over nearly a century, wasn't easily surmountable.
Sneaky Murim Alliance bastards. Instead of history and tradition, let's settle it with guts and beatings.
Hiding behind crap made by shut-in mechanism nerds obsessing for decades—wasn't that too cheap?
As he grumbled inwardly, the drawbridge halted with a boom, and sounds of mechanisms disengaging echoed.
Click. Click.
Clang.
After the mechanical noises, the warriors guarding the drawbridge stepped aside, and Squad Leader Yang of the Old Iron Fist stepped forward.
"From here on, it's Silver Hall territory. Steel your minds, everyone."
The usually taciturn, rugged fist fighter led with an unusually stern expression.
Step. Step.
Finally. Entering the long-awaited Silver Hall.
Flutter. Flutter.
After passing the castle gate, they walked for a full half shichen.
At last, a massive training ground appeared.
Silver flags representing Silver Hall fluttered there, with over a dozen instructors and fifty-odd students lined up in front.
A truly overwhelming sight.
"But why so few?"
As he tilted his head at the vast training ground, Yeo Mae-hong, walking beside him, chuckled softly.
"This is the small training ground."
"This is small?"
Bigger than Bronze Hall's main one?
"The main training ground is ten times bigger. Plenty larger than this one too."
"My god."
Gape. Gape.
This place alone could hold nearly a thousand for a brawl.
Exaggerating a bit, mounted cavalry could fight here.
And this was the small one?
"No wonder it's Silver Hall."
"No wonder they call us Shit Hall."
"Right. Scale's several times bigger, but fewer students. Natural they'd feel pride and superiority over Bronze Hall."
Pride and superiority?
Before feeling that, shouldn't they worry about having the brains not to find this insane scale weird?
Now I get why Yul was complaining so much.
For a mud-eater surviving by scooping dirt in the desert, getting used to this was naturally tough.
Squad Leader Yang, leading the group, halted and added,
"Now, the students we'll handle are ones Silver Hall is particularly focused on."
Particularly focused students.
He thought it meant noteworthy rising stars.
"As expected."
Yeo Mae-hong said in a meaningful tone.
"What?"
"Well, after humiliating their pride by calling us in, no reason to give us easy jobs."
"Don't beat around the bush—explain simply."
"Simple."
Yeo Mae-hong sighed deeply.
As he watched her chest rise and fall, she continued.
"Notice they're all wearing red bands on one arm?"
"Yeah."
"Means they've all received failing marks."
"Whaaat?"
"They're called 'focus students.' Figured they'd assign us the needy ones, but they've cherry-picked the troublemakers."
This was different from expectations.
Somehow, things weren't going to go smoothly.